Grooveshark Bypasses Marketplace and Gets Back on Android

Grooveshark has become one of my favorite web apps. If you’re a music fan then this is THE destination for checking out songs and deciding what you want to buy and what isn’t as good, upon second listen, as you thought. Recently it entered the Android Marketplace…and then exited it just as quickly. Grooveshark is a controversial program, but tobody, to date, has challenged it’s legality. In fact, Grooveshark is adamant about their right to operate.

Well, now they are back bypassing the Marketplace and getting back on Android devices. If you browse to the Grooveshark website on your mobile device you will be greeted with an option to download the app.

Once you click the “download” button at the bottom the above screen the app will automatically install. Click your completed download and you will receive the same scary screen that greets many app installs on Android.

You will need to have a Grooveshark account (its free) to use the mobile app. Eventually you will also have to sign up for a Grooveshark Anywhere account to continue using the app, which will run you $9 per month.

Android’s open nature allows apps to bypass the Marketplace in this way. That can be good and bad for users, since it can also lead to bad apps being installed. In the long run, though, I think open is best for everyone. I’m glad Grooveshark has taken this step and I hope that the differences will be worked out and they will be available again in the Marketplace.